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Watch as this snake-like robot slithers then coils its way up a tree! The Biorobotics Lab at Carnegie Mellon University has created a bio-inspired Snakebot which mimics the motion of a snake, pushing the development of robots one step further. The team at CMU has focused on two models of Snakebots – one to traverse land, and the other for surgical use. Both varieties are equipped with a small camera located in the head and numerous moving joints that propel it forward. At this point, the Snakebots are tethered to a power source and are controlled by an operator, however scientist say it is not long before bots are completely wireless. Developers plan to us the larger Snakebot which operates on land, to perform search and rescue missions, pipe inspections, and other tasks that are difficult or dangerous for people to explore. With the direction of an operator, the robot can coil around a tree or pipe and use the camera to observe its surroundings. The medical Snakebot is basically a mini surgeon equipped with its own scalpel and forceps. The surgeon makes a keyhole incision then inserts the snake. The snake then navigated remotely by the doctor. The incision is smaller than the size of a US dime, reducing recovery time and making operation time faster. Thus making surgery less invasive and less expensive. Surgeons have already successfully tested the Snakebot on pigs and have begun trials on human tissue. How do you feel about Snakebots doing the jobs of humans?

OEM Cameras have so many uses these days. Due to their small size, they can be mounted virtually anywhere. Here are just 5 ways in which OEM Cameras are currently being used. 1. UAV/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Aside from being used for damage assessment (ie: during the Haiti disaster), domestic surveillance, and traffic monitoring, UAV’s with onboard cameras are being used by amateur hobbyists all over. Check out how this one RC/Camera Hobbyist wearing a heads-up display hooked up a board camera to an RC airplane with a tracking rig to provide a solid video download. 2. Robotics Mimic the Human Eye Remember Johnny 5? It’s just like Hollywod to imagine the future of technology. It turns out they were spot on when it came to robotics. The relationship between board cameras and robots has grown a lot over time. The cameras are not just used to record. They help the robot to discern colors, patterns, and recognize its surroundings, in order to better interact with its environment and make decisions. This superfast robot’s movements are remote-controlled and can mimic the exact movements of the human eye. 3. Extreme Sports Pole Camera I don’t think anyone can disagree that helmet cams are great! — Especially when it comes to extreme sports. Cameras are so inexpensive and easy to set up these days that it’s easy for an adrenaline junkie to strap a camera on his helmet as he’s skydiving or tearing up some killer slopes in the rockies. This skater made a make-shift pole cam and recorded himself riding down a steep road. 4. Law Enforcement/Military Bomb Squad Cameras have always played an integral part in law enforcement and the military. Everything from domestic surveillance, military drones, street light cameras, police dash-cams, and so on. This is a robot used for dismantling potential explosives. It has 4 cameras built and a control system with monitors and controls for the operator to remote control the robot. 5. Automotive: Google’s Self-Driving Car Cameras are slowly making their way into cars. Currently, many cars have the reverse camera to give you a rear view as you back up. More interesting, however, is unmanned cars. Google, among other companies, have produced unmanned vehicles that have logged thousands of miles without human assistance. The vehicles use cameras and sensors to interact with the software and make decisions based upon what it sees through the lenses. At the TED 2011 conference in Long Beach, Google gave rare demos of its auto-driving car.